The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) veterinary department capturing and relocating six sterilised stray dogs from Seawoods Estates Limited (SEL) has come under the scanner of animal lovers including the trustee of People for Animals (POA), Ambika Shukla.
Animal lovers in the complex and outsiders claimed both the complaint and resultant action by NMMC to be one-sided and biased.
“These dogs were born here and cannot survive outside. We have consistently requested the management to let us feed them inside with the assurance that the area will be kept clean. Instead, the feeders were targeted and subjected to mental and physical harassment, “said an elderly feeder from the complex.
The action by the NMMC was initiated after a complaint on August 1 from residents who claimed to be living in fear of being bitten by the dogs.
There are a total of 32 dogs within the complex spread over 56 acre of area with 45 high-rise buildings.
Shukla said, “Shriram Pawar, deputy municipal commissioner and veterinary officer of NMMC, is himself a resident of the complex and seems to have misused his position. Before capturing the dogs, he should have verified the complaints like collecting CCTV footage, authorised medical certificates of dog bites, etc. His claims of capturing only biting dogs and keeping them in observation on an open plot as against the medical centre run by NMMC itself is ludicrous. If the captured dogs were indeed biting, then how does letting them loose in an unmonitored open plot make sense?”
Shukla’s help was sought by resident feeders after the NMMC dog catching squad arrived in the complex along with police protection. Frantic calls for help were raised by activists seeking for the release of the captured dogs.
“For more than six hours, the poor animals were kept confined in a van with no water or food. After much pressure, NMMC relented but released the dogs onto an adjacent plot wherein two are missing as the hut-like structure within the plot barely shades them from rain,” said a resident.
Shukla has raised her concerns with the civic chief and has sought for safe return of the dogs to the original location.
Individual complaints, too, have been raised by feeders with the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI). Likewise, an affidavit is also to be filed with the Supreme Court.
“A matter is being heard by the High Court filed in November 2021 against the management for levying fines on dog feeders. The matter was referred to the SC for clarity. Government officials are aware that the matter is pending, therefore have initiated this uncalled-for action. I will be informing the court of the incident. In fact, in the HC matter, of the 17 respondents, only NMMC has not filed a reply,” said Siddha Vidya, advocate.
Abhijit Bangar, municipal commissioner, has sought a reply from the officer. “I need to verify the reason behind the officer’s action, especially with regard to not taking the dogs to the animal centre at Turbhe for treatment,” he said.
Pawar maintained that he did not misuse his position. “I have acted only as per the complaints of increasing dog bites and have captured the dogs only for observation,” he said.
Sunil Kasture, chief estate manager, Seawoods Estates Ltd (Phase -1), said, “Contrary to the allegation of not allowing feeding of dogs, three demarcated areas are there for the dogs to be fed. Lately, there were unprovoked attacks by stray dogs on residents. Instead of feeding in the demarcated area, people were feeding the stray dogs in the car park and gardens. Feeders have brought these dogs from outside into the complex. The allegations against us are fabricated and false.“